this was the piece that would not end.

It just went on and on my friends…. Whew! That’s all I can say. I can’t tell you how happy we are to be FINISHED with this old sideboard. It took longer to complete than we EVER imagined. It all started when I found this loverly sideboard at an antique/thrift/junk mart. Of course I wanted it…. The scroll work on the doors?? The moulding framing the drawers?? What could be better… I already saw it all painted, stained, lightly distressed, and glazed. I already knew it would have a DARK top and light French gray body…. I was on a little furniture happy high, and then reality set in.

This piece had TONS of damage…. It looked like cats had a little partay on all the moulding around the base.

Ummmmm, all that fantastic moulding framing the drawers? We couldn’t find any exactly like it, so Andrew had to replace it ALL.

All those scratches and damaged areas….

A finish on top that left ALOT to be desired and more damage than we thought….

A badly smooshed corner….

And last but not least: a hunk of missing veneer…. Somehow we missed a picture of the other side which also sported some veneer damage of it’s own.

All at once I realized that we had bitten off A LOT. A LOT of work that would take A LOT of time. We were committed though. A friend saw this piece on Facebook and had already sent a check. Note to Lou: For future pieces give an estimate of the price. I way UNDERcharged on this piece. So….. being the troopers we are we took it all apart and started putting it back together…. Andrew replaced ALL the moulding on this piece… Cut, glue, clamp, wait. Cut glue, clamp, wait. You get the picture.

After days and days and days and days we FINALLY got it stripped and painted. I will say that stripping it was the bright light in this project. The finish was so fried it came off like hot butter!

Here she is all repainted in Sherwin Williams Light French Gray (currently my favorite).

Here are the doors and newly fixed drawers with a new coat of paint….

This was not a piece of FINE antique furniture… The wood on top wasn’t the prettiest I’d ever seen, but it cleaned up nicer than I thought.

The top definitely needed a good dose of wood conditioner… I love this stuff.

Here she is soaking up all that conditioner love….

While that was drying I started glazing the one million nooks and crannies with Valspar’s antiquing glaze. I wanted the almost black glaze to contrast the gray. The door on the left is done. The one on the right was unglazed. See the difference, and how the details pop? THESE doors are the main reason I bought this piece.

Like my fancy footwear?? Yeah, it’s how I roll.

After hours and hours and hours and days and days and days (insert drum roll) here she is!

All that new moulding :)

I stained the top in Ebony by Minwax. I LOVE that stain.

The wood isn’t perfect, but I think it just adds to it’s charm.

I bring all my pieces inside to poly. There’s nothing worse than a tiny piece of lint falling onto your newly finished piece…Anne Pearce wanted in on the photo action… She always tells me, “Good job, Mommy. It’s brewtiful.”

One more time:

Before:

and after:

Now please excuse me while I go take a 12 hour nap!

Linking up to:

Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday
My repurposed Life's Catch as Catch Can

Domestically Speaking's Power of Paint Party

Primitive & Proper's Piece of Work Wednesday

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Stories of a House Project Diaries

The Shabby Chic Cottage's Transformation Thursday

Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Savvy Southern Style

Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous

Style Feature Saturday at Perfectly Imperfect

Friday at Remodelaholic